I guess what you are describing is essentially:
1. authoring time line layout (hard layout)
2. presentation time line layout (soft layout)
We have already included the style property wrap-option, defined at [1] to support authoring time determination of which of these models apply. In order to express authoring time line separators, we have included force line break as a presentation flow vocabulary item and break-after and break-before as style properties that induce the same effect.
What we haven't yet defined in the requirements document is an ability for the author to express timing or style semantics to be applied to line areas that are produced by the second of the above modes (soft layout). This is why I suggested the idea of a pseudo selector that allows expressing authorial intent about objects that are produced by an implied presentation process, i.e., line and glyph areas.
G.
-----Original Message-----
From: Johnb@screen.subtitling.com [mailto:Johnb@screen.subtitling.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 4:50 AM
To: Glenn A. Adams
Cc: public-tt@w3.org
Subject: 'knife and fork' model
Glenn,
GA: Could you explain this "knife and fork" model that you have now referred to a few times? I can guess what you might mean, but I'm would rather you explain.
Sorry - guilty of using a stock expression that is almost certainly not global......
By 'knife and fork' model - I mean a mechanism where each tiny piece must be carved out of a whole (knife), picked up and placed where wanted (fork), as a deliberate specified act.
This is the current model for (non US CC style) subtitling/captioning files. The files read like a script for display activity. All calculations regarding line lengths, layout, impact of font sizes, timing etc - are (or at least should be) performed by the author. There is no concept of user (viewer) override of style. Note: these comments are specific to Non US subtitling/captioning, US CC by its very design nature allows - and anticipates - that the viewer can impose style overrides upon the captions/subtitles.
Is there a better terminology for this concept?
I see a spectrum here that ranges from:
hard layout / style (knife and fork) -> soft style (e.g. US CC) -> rhetorical ontology (user CSS?)
regards
John Birch
The views and opinions expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily
reflect the views and opinions of Screen Subtitling Systems Limited.